Good news -Microbead ban

A shocking 680 tonnes of microscopic plastic beads, microbeads, are used in the UK each year. The beads are in a range of cosmetic and cleaning products, from toothpaste to shower gel. The simple act of taking a shower using a microbead soap can release nearly 100,000 pieces of tiny plastic into the ocean where they can and are ultimately eaten by the organisms that live there. Research has shown that when we consume seafood, we are also consuming these plastic beads, and the evidence is mounting to suggest that there are negative consequences on our health as a result.

The good news is that the use of microbeads has been partially banned in the UK. It will be illegal for some microbead products to be manufactured in the UK on 1st January 2018, and the sale of such product made illegal from 30th June 2018.